The Witching Hour

Chapter 6 - Decisions

"Well, what'll it be, love?" Mammon repeated, his wolfish grin growing. His tongue played at his canines, but something about him didn't scream vampire.

A flicker of movement behind Mammon caught Ivy's eye. The figure reached out, tendrils snaking around it. Mammon clearly didn't sense it, but it overwhelmed her. The psychic connection between her and this ghostly figure pulled her out of the mental fog this devilish angel put her in.

The figure caught a ray of light from the streetlight. Cassandra stared back at her, still surrounded by the darkness. She reached out again, as if beckoning Ivy toward her. The earth witch still couldn't move, stuck to the ground courtesy of Mammon and whatever power he had over her.

"Stay strong, Ivy," a voice echoed in her head. Cassandra's mouth didn't move, but Ivy knew that voice anywhere. Cassandra's eyes pleaded with her friend. "Don't give in."

From the corner of her eye, Ivy noticed Mammon intently watching her. She kept her eyes trained on Cassie as long as she good, not wanting to let her leave. She needed more clues of where she could be or if she was okay. Mammon's hand shot to her chin and forced her to look at him, boredom reflecting in his eyes. Behind her own lay a new determination to get out from under his spell.

Ivy felt Mammon exert even more energy as his mouth moved toward hers. She pursed her lips in concentration and balled her fists. Using all the energy she could muster, she took a step back and created a small patch of distance.

"No!" Her voice cut through the darkness like a knife. She flung her hands up and the ground between them cracked and a solid wall of dirt shot up, blocking him from her path.

Ivy didn't give herself time to be stunned. Never had she manipulated the earth in this fashion, but she would take the time to reevaluate this situation. First, she needed to get the hell away from him. If she didn't want to get caught in his web, she had to sprint. That wall of dirt would only hold him for long. He said her powers radiated off her in waves. Well, his powers were like a train barreling toward you at full steam. As she ran, little weeds grew in her path, covered in thorns. A deep laughter boomed from behind her.

"I'll see you again " he cackled, the air reverberating around her.

Ivy shuddered involuntarily and kept running, doing her best not to trip in her heels. She tried to block him out, turning down the street she needed. Light posts decorated either side of the street at more frequent intervals. A sigh of relief passed through her. She was in a better area, indeed. 

Normal tourists walked on either side of her. Up ahead, a cute couple walked hand-in-hand, taking their little puppy for a potty break. The woman leaned over and pecked the man on the cheek.  Ivy muttered a few words, and roses popped up next to the puppy while the couple was distracted. The puppy began to bark noticing that they appeared out of nowhere. Ivy giggled. The couple would just pick them as they passed, oblivious to the fact that they just appeared.

The couple looked at the roses, took a whiff and tried to pick them. The man sucked on his fingers. Clearly, the thorns were still there. Cursing under her breath, Ivy pouted for a moment by crossing her arms across her chest. When would she finally produce something without thorns? The plants must not like her messing with them.

Finally, Ivy walked up to the Thirsty Fork. Individuals of all backgrounds – creatures and humans – lined the outside with drinks in their hands. She could smell the alcohol before she even stepped through the door. Lucian must have been bartending.

When she arrived, a couple sets of cautious eyes glanced her way before dismissing her. A witch who didn't even practice her own craft, she knew they muttered under their breaths.

Not any more.

Ivy needed to find Ella, Aura and Marina tonight and explain to them what had happened. She had almost given in and given everything up. Who knows what would have happened to her or if she would have been another face on Ella's board at the station. No, the run in with Mammon was exactly what she needed to come to the realization that she was who she was and she couldn't do anything about it. She weaved in and out of the crowd, her eyes darting amongst the inebriated youngsters.

"Ivy! You're here!" Marina's voice was an octave or two high, and her eyes were slightly dilated. Lucian had gotten to her. She welcomed Ivy with outstretched hands and went in for a giant hug. "You missed my performance, but you're here now. And that's what matters."

"I'm really sorry about that Marina." Ivy wriggled out of her grasp before Marina unintentionally passed along some of that drunken energy. Ivy didn't need to feel drunk then have a drink to feel even drunker than she might turn out to be. "I need to—"

"Lucian, look who finally came back to us!" Marina clapped at her friend. "A drink for Ivy, would ya?"

Lucian sauntered down from the other end of the bar and flashed them his classic hundred-watt smile. That's when the pulling and drowsiness sensation returned. It didn't feel as strong as Mammon's, but it was there and ate at her. Fed up with the events of the night, Ivy uncharacteristically leaned over the bar and took him by the shirt. His eyes grew wide and his hands flung to her own. The sensations he produced increased. She acted quickly before she could be taken back under a trance.

"Whatever spell you're attempted to do, cut it out now." Her voice dripped with venom as she stared daggers into him. The effect ceased immediately, and she let him go, patting where she had held him. "I just ran into someone who wanted to do harm with it, and I barely got away."

"Mammon..." Lucian's voice was barely audible, but Ivy had caught it. She would never forget that name, let alone the man that came with it. "Ivy, I swear, that's not what I was trying to do. I use the charm to help a bit with tips, but when I'm bartending, it's not like what he does. Let me make you a drink."

Lucian busied himself with Ivy's drink as she watched Marina people-watch. The empath eventually clued back in from the trance, and Ivy knew exactly what the little minx was up to. Marina was using her giddiness to infect those around her or give those a little boost of confidence to ask someone out to dance. Whenever she used her powers, she always meant well, but when she was intoxicated, she went a little overboard.

As Lucian slid Ivy a drink with a wink, Marina turned her attention back to her friend. She waited until Ivy had taken a few gulps of the rum when she ordered a round of shots. Marina knew exactly what would happen as she lay her hand on Ivy, and by the look in Ivy's eyes, she knew as well. A rush of pure giddiness, a bit of recklessness and a small sense of freedom rushed over the earth witch. She was dunk without even having to be drunk.

Damn it, Marina.

"Why Marina?" Ivy whined and took another sip of her drink. "It's only my first night back out."

"Exactly." Marina giggled like a schoolgirl before her voice suddenly became serious. "But also, I felt this...I felt this sense of despair and fear when you walked in the door."

"I just wanted to help," she squeaked as she squeezed Ivy's bicep. "I can take it away though."

Ivy shook her head. She would rather feel this way rather falling back into the hole Mammon had put her in. On top of that, Ivy knew that if Marina took it away, whatever she felt just before was magnified to the extreme. She didn't need a slew of vines wrapping around her as she broke down.

"I know you did." Ivy hugged Marina tightly and sunk further into the giddiness. "Now let's take these shots. I'm going to need them if I plan to talk to Ella tonight."

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A/N

Thought I made y'all wait long enough. Teehee 😉
If you had to wait the week, thank you for your patience. I promise I didn't forget about the story.

Also, thank you to everyone that has read, voted and/commented thus far. Much love peeps ❤️